- Average Vessel Berth Delay Rises 17% Week-on-Week.
- US–China Trade Friction Disrupts Global Commodity Flows.
- Sanctions on Rizhao Oil Terminal Add to Maritime Congestion.
Waiting times for commodity vessels waiting off the ports of China have hit their highest levels in 2025, largely due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington that are throwing a wrench in global trade. According to Bloomberg’s analysis, which relies on data from the ship-tracking platform Kpler, vessels took an average of 2.66 days to dock after arriving during the week ending October 19. That’s a 17% jump from the previous week and the longest wait we’ve seen this year, reports gCaptain.
Trade Friction Deepens Between Beijing and Washington
As the world’s largest commodity importer, China could feel the impact of these delays ripple through global supply chains, especially affecting liquid cargoes like crude oil and dry bulk goods such as iron ore.
This congestion is happening as tensions between Beijing and Washington over maritime trade continue to escalate. Recently, China slapped a hefty extra fee on vessels linked to the U.S., following a similar action taken by the United States. This maritime friction is just one piece of the larger trade standoff between the two nations.
US Sanctions Target Chinese Oil Infrastructure
In a further escalation, Washington has imposed sanctions on Rizhao, a key oil-import terminal operator in eastern China. This move is part of a broader effort to limit Iranian crude shipments to China. Consequently, several oil hubs are experiencing longer waiting times, with tanker owners adjusting their operations to meet the new restrictions.
Key Ports See Sharp Rise in Delays
At Dongjiakou, ships waited an average of 2.79 days last week, marking the second-highest level recorded by Kpler. Meanwhile, vessels at Yantai were idling for 2.7 days, up from about 1.8 days the week before.
“Shipowners are thinking they should hold on, and wait until they can enter the port,” said Matt Wright, freight analyst at Kpler. “There is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding which owners face fees.”
Data Subject to Revisions
Kpler noted that its figures are subject to revision and updates as new information becomes available, highlighting the fluidity of the situation in China’s congested maritime network.
Did you subscribe to our daily Newsletter?
It’s Free Click here to Subscribe!
Source: gCaptain
